How can copywriters set boundaries with clients to maintain work-life balance?

Many copywriters think you need more than 3 clients to rack in the money. In essence, you actually need 1 or 2 good paying clients to work with. Don't lose yourself (personal and professional goals included), your values, and your family trying to chase money. Time lost can never be regained. You need to consider this before working with a new client, or renegotiating an existing contract. Don't accumulate a lot of clients, so you don't end up burnt out or underdelivering. Additionally, NEVER jeopardize and define your boundaries as early as you can that way clients stay intact and in line with you. Finally, communication is the sole of business. Over-communicate always with each of your clients, in whichever way is suitable.

If you are a freelancer on any of the platform: - It is good to define your boundaries. - Writing is a creative work. - It needs freedom for the sake of it. - Better to work on your schedule than client. - Tell client a clear submitting date. - And tell him to not contact in between unless emergency from either side.

Maintaining a healthy work-life balance as a copywriter involves setting clear boundaries with clients. I establish realistic project timelines and communicate my availability upfront.

If you're a people pleaser, read this twice. I stepped into freelance copywriting a year ago. I love it (a lot) because I can: - work from home - spend time with my dog - help multiple clients - set my own hours But I had a HUGE learning curve when it came to setting boundaries, especially with retainer clients. If you aren't careful, they become your boss. And the whole point of freelancing is to step out of that box and into the FREEdom part of it. So, having a good contract will help you. Clearly communicate the scope of the deliverables, when they are due, etc. AND how the client can reach you. However, boundaries are personal - you know what's best for you.

Be clear up front about your boundaries. You may want to create templates that state your boundaries and share them with clients as you are onboarding. Put in writing, things like … - Hours of operation: I work 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily, and I’m not available on Thursday because I take my cat to the park. If you message during my off hours, I will respond as soon as I’m back in the office. - I only accept cash payments in person at my local ice cream shop. Get specific with details so there are no disputes later. - I charge XX in XX currency. If you’re working internationally, stating your currency is important. You don’t want to accept a job from someone who cannot pay you internationally.

What I generally do is to switch off my phone outside of the decided working hours or to be precise about the ETA that I give to my cleints. So that they do not disturb and I do not do the same.

I've found that you can usually work out which clients are going to test your boundaries before you've even started working together. Red lights for me are when potential clients send me an email then, they send me a message on social media to let me know they've emailed me. This tends to mean they're looking for an instant response which isn't realistic. Everyone works differently and it's about finding that rhythm between client and copywriter. I've also discovered that laying expectations from the outset in terms of turnaround times works well. For example, 7 days minimum for X type of content.

Be clear about your availability - State upfront what your working hours are and when you are unavailable. Make it clear when clients can expect a response from you. Set expectations on revisions - Explain your revision policy and limits in your contract. State how many rounds of revisions are included and what rates apply beyond that. Say no when overcapacity - If a client asks for a rush job or more work when your plate is full, politely decline and suggest an alternative that works for both parties. Refer them to a colleague if too overwhelmed.

-Clearly communicate your working hours and availability to clients -Establish realistic response time expectations for client inquiries or revisions -Be proactive in managing your workload and setting realistic deadlines. Avoid taking on more projects than you can handle within a reasonable timeframe -Clearly communicate your boundaries to clients in terms of the type and frequency of communication -Utilize out-of-office messages during non-working hours or when taking time off. Inform clients about your availability and provide alternative contacts or resources they can rely on in your absence. -Consider delegating or collaborating with trusted colleagues or freelancers when workload exceeds your capacity

📝 Set a clear writing process, communicate it clearly, and mention it in the contract. 🗓️ Inform clients when you're available and preferred communication methods. ⏰ Set realistic deadlines and communicate any limitations. 🚫 If clients request too many changes or alterations last minute, kindly but firmly say No and reaffirm the writing process. 🌟 Remember, respecting your boundaries leads to better work and a happier you!

This is something I've learned from relationships. Someone is ALWAYS wearing the pants. Is it you or your client? Here's how to grab your pants back and be in charge of the relationship... 1. Be willing to walk away (its a vibe) 2. Be elite at what you do (it helps) 3. Outwork everyone so u can speak truth 4. Eat steak Wait why four? I'm hungry all right....

Choose your preferred communication tactics. This will ensure that the entire process is going smooth and it will prevent miscommunication between both the parties, Set your timing to discuss so that the time zones doesn't collide with each other

When you build a good relationship with your client, 'boundaries' generally get respected automatically. Look for mutual respect from the outset. You must deliver your best for them as much as they must respect your way of doing things. Most of my communication is done via email. If something comes in during the evening, I can choose to leave it until the morning. My choice. Should a client call me, that's fine (it's generally lovely to hear from them). Should it not be convenient, I can choose to let the answerphone help or suggest an alternative time. Every proposal details my terms. They're commonsense and concise. Designed to support both parties. Instead of boundaries, we need to choose more clients that suit our approach.

Be upfront in initial conversations - When starting a relationship with a new client, discuss your working style and boundaries. Explain your preferred communication methods, response times, availability, etc. Reiterate policies as needed - If a client requests something outside your boundaries, politely refer back to agreed upon terms. Say something like "As discussed previously, my availability during weekends is limited." Set timeline expectations - If extra rounds of revisions or rush requests disrupt your schedule, restate timeline commitments. Remind clients of impact on quality and your other obligations.

Consider implementing an automated out-of-office reply or setting email autoresponders to manage client expectations during non-working hours. Set realistic expectations with clients regarding response times and turnaround times for projects. Establish clear project deadlines and deliverables, and ensure that clients understand and agree to them.

If you aren’t setting realistic expectations & deliverables - in any aspect of business - you are doomed to fail. Set boundaries. Set guidelines. Set deliverables. If they move outside of this, that’s good for you. Start charging them extra. Your time is money.

Before you begin working with any new client, set out your terms and conditions. Ensure that they know what they can expect from you including turnaround times and response times. Ensure they have your office hours too so your client knows the hours within which they can expect a response. Seek to understand their approvals processes and turnaround times too and by setting all these out at the early stages of a working relationship you are more likely to avoid disappointing your client is their expectations aren’t in line with your services or expectations.

Communication has been and will always be key. Once you have your boundaries defined, you need to communicate them to your clients clearly and respectfully. This will ensure they are aware of what is comfortable and uncomfortable for you.

Clients won't realize you're serious about your boundaries unless you enforce them. One of my non-negotiable boundaries is that I do not work on Sundays. When I was in PR, 24/7 availability was the norm. However, most copywriting clients aren't experiencing the crises that necessitate being that accessible. I don't answer texts, calls, or emails on Sundays. I am steadfast about that (and some former clients haven't liked that). Clients who choose to work on Sunday must agree to respect my right to choose a different path. Otherwise, we can't work together. Be willing to stick to your guns once you set limits and clearly explain them to your clients. If you don't respect them, they won't respect them.

Communications limits are especially important. Getting called by an overseas client at 3am when you have a family may not be how you want to operate. It may be so important that even after informally discussing with a client, it may need to be set in the contract. This also applies to all the other considerations described here.

Why build a fence if it doesn't keep the trespasser out? You need to be firm and polite when a client tries to cross your boundaries. Let them know where they have gone wrong and find an amicable solution .

It's important to set and enforce boundaries as early as when we have the contract of the work signed. This will ensure that non-negotiables are considered for both ends. As for me, I don't work on weekends that's why I see to it that my clients and I are aligned on this one.

When I started working with my dream brands, I was ready to do EVERYTHING they asked for, even when most of that work was out of my scope. Three months later, the novelty weaned off and I realised the mess I found myself in. Being starry-eyed is okay. Given a choice, I would still do all of it again. But, boundaries are equally important! Just like you evaluate client projects and timelines, start evaluating your own performance and potential. It is important to do both as the former will give you a reality check, and the latter will chart the path for future changes. You need to get out of your comfort zone, yes but you also need to justify where else you are headed once you get out from there.

There have been times in my career where I strictly worked during business hours. Then after becoming a mom, the structure of my workday drastically changed to early mornings and weekends. At the end of the day, the important thing is to make sure you and your clients mutually respect each other's off time. If you can't "turn off" your work brain because you keep getting work messages, reframe how and when you communicate with your clients.

Nothing is set in stone in the world of servicing clients. Be willing to be flexible once in a while. Always have a sitdown with yourself and or your client.

Reference policies in contract - Politely point to the section in your agreement that relates to the boundary concern. This makes it clear it was mutually agreed to upfront. Explain impact of exceptions - Rather than just saying no, explain the negative impact agreeing would have on your workload, other clients, health etc. This shows it's not personal. Offer win-win alternatives - Where possible, suggest a compromise that helps them achieve their goal on a different timeline that works for you too. This maintains goodwill.

Here are few points I feel would help. 1. Be elite at what you do. 2. Only take jobs you can do. Don't take jobs you know you can't do. It damages one's reputation. Let your boundaries be know and you should also understand the boundaries of your clients. This enhances smooth relationship

This is so important and so obvious, but often sidelined or ignored in the hunger for more work. I have seen real lives ruined by lack of self-care, and have been trapped there myself a few times. Burnout doesn't just mean you lose clients and money: it ripples through your life often for months or more. Recovery may be slow. To this end, to not make it a priority is almost self-harm. Consider the time you need for positive activities, family, exercise, and so on, and use that to plan. Do not deviate too much from it.

Stick to Your Boundaries! Once you've established boundaries, stick to them. Consistently enforcing your boundaries sends a clear message to clients that you value your time and are committed to maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

You might have to negotiate/re-negotiate your boundaries when initial agreements are challenged or ignored by clients. For example, you might agree to a project under certain conditions but find the client pushing for more revisions than initially agreed upon. In such cases, refer back to the original contract, highlight the agreed terms, and suggest a meeting to discuss any new requirements. This ensures both parties have a clear understanding and mutual respect for the boundaries set, and sends the message that this is a professional and productive working relationship. If you find doing this difficult, speak with a trusted advisor to help you find the words for these types of conversations.

Clients generally won't respect your boundaries. They'll send you messages when they send them. And send you work when they send it. It's up to you to decide whether you're available. And to suggest a more reasonable deadline. Clients must understand that you have a life and other clients. They must respect that you are in demand. It's no fun being put in uncomfortable situations like this, but that's life as a freelancer.

Clearly defining what's "urgent" and "can't be handled by anyone else" is extremely important for you, account managers, and clients. Everyone believes their copy to be utterly important, the main questions/discussions you should encourage are: - Why is this urgent? - How urgent it is? i.e. Can it wait till tomorrow or your next working day? - Can this handled by someone else who's available at the moment? Understanding your client needs is important, but so is maintaining a healthy life-work balance, as it helps you continue providing the quality you're known for!

Educate Your Client(s) Some clients may not be aware of the importance of work-life balance. Take the opportunity to educate them on why setting boundaries is essential for your well-being and ultimately benefits the quality of your work.

Mutual respect or walk away. The End.